Sir according to your request I Proceed to give you
an account of the conversation I had with Pres Joseph Smith previous to
his Massacre. the first conversation I had with the Prophet On the following
subjects was the Night; the Guard come in to Take him with a Rit
we walked togather towards the River & sat down. I asked him How this
thing was going to come out. he replied if the Brethern would Let him
Manage the Business; there should be no blood shed, but if not it would
be the hardest Blow the Church ever had or would receive, that if he & Hyrum
were ever taken again the[y] Would be Massacread or he was not a Prophet of
God, he said he wanted to Save Hyrum to avenge his Blood, he said that
Hyrum was determined Not to Leave him but die with him, he told me to
go & call Bro Hyrum Bro Willard Richards, Wm Law, W. W. Phelps, John Taylor &
several others that I do not now recolect their Names, then he & I turned & walked
up close to the Mansion, as we were walking along we heard the sound of a company
of Horses & Men; as it was now dark he sent me ahead to see what the[y] were
on getting up I found a company of 20 Men from Carthagefor about 17 ^having a Writ^
for some 17 Men. I talked with them a few Minutes & found out what the[y]
wanted & returned & Told Joseph, he told me to return & tell them he would
see them the Next day at 10 Oclock, then I called the above named council
togather & we went up to Joseph Chamber, there we talked over the subject of
the Writ &c &c, & Joseph said it was the voice of the Spirit for him to go to the
West ^among the Navives^ & Take Hyrum & several others along with him & Look out a place for the Church
(NB. While siting on the Bank of the River he said he wanted Bro Hyrum to go aboard of the
Maid of Iowa & Take Both their famalies to Ohio & Leave him to fight the Battles,
at this time he said he wanted to save Hyrum to avenge his Blood). When the
council was dismissed about 4 A.M. we all went out to Josephs West gate, there several
of us halted. Joseph Turned & said something to me Like this Bro Markham I want
to Leave you to Take charge of the Legion. thin I replied I will do as you want me
whatever it may be. I will go with you, or stop here & defend the city ontill I die
or go & give myself up just what ever you say I will do. he held his hed Bowed
down as though he was in a deep study about a Minute then he said Bro Markham
you have always done as I wanted you & you always will Now I will tell you
what to do, go & dismiss the Legion before day Light so that the Men having the Writ
cannot see that we are Onder arms, & then send My Horse & Hyrums over the River
Sir according to your request I Proceed to give you
an account of the conversation I had with Pres Joseph Smith previous to
his Massacre. the first conversation I had with the Prophet On the following
subjects was the Night; the Guard come in to Take him with a Rit
we walked togather towards the River & sat down. I asked him How this
thing was going to come out. he replied if the Brethern would Let him
Manage the Business; there should be no blood shed, but if not it would
be the hardest Blow the Church ever had or would receive, that if he & Hyrum
were ever taken again they Would be Massacread or he was not a Prophet of
God, he said he wanted to Save Hyrum to avenge his Blood, he said that
Hyrum was determined Not to Leave him but die with him, he told me to
go & call Bro Hyrum Bro Willard Richards, Wm Law, W. W. Phelps, John Taylor &
several others that I do not now recolect their Names, then he & I turned & walked
up close to the Mansion, as we were walking along we heard the sound of a company
of Horses & Men; as it was now dark he sent me ahead to see what they were
on getting up I found a company of 20 Men from Carthage having a Writ
for some 17 Men. I talked with them a few Minutes & found out what they
wanted & returned & Told Joseph, he told me to return & tell them he would
see them the Next day at 10 Oclock, then I called the above named council
togather & we went up to Joseph Chamber, there we talked over the subject of
the Writ &c &c, & Joseph said it was the voice of the Spirit for him to go to the
West among the Natives & Take Hyrum & several others along with him & Look out a place for the Church
(NB. While siting on the Bank of the River he said he wanted Bro Hyrum to go aboard of the
Maid of Iowa & Take Both their famalies to Ohio & Leave him to fight the Battle,
at this time he said he wanted to save Hyrum to avenge his Blood). When the
council was dismissed about 4 A.M. we all went out to Josephs West gate, there several
of us halted. Joseph Turned & said something to me Like this Bro Markham I want
to Leave you to Take charge of the Legion. thin I replied I will do as you want me
whatever it may be. I will go with you, or stop here & defend the city ontill I die
or go & give myself up just what ever you say I will do. he held his hed Bowed
down as though he was in a deep study about a Minute then he said Bro Markham
you have always done as I wanted you & you always will Now I will tell you
what to do, go & dismiss the Legion before day Light so that the Men having the Writ
cannot see that we are Onder arms, & then send My Horse & Hyrums over the River
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